Customer Reviews

Christmas 64

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Since Verve is now opening the vaults for more Jimmy Smith recordings from the '60's, this Christmas '64 album was long down on my wishlist for reissues. Since nearly all great jazz musicians have issued Xmas albums, there was no exception for the more popularized Jimmy Smith on Verve in the 60's. Good or bad? If you have the Christmas Cookin' album you can skip this CD since they're identical with just different cover (Christmas Cookin' CD has the original LP cover). Smith's great Blue Note trio members are the backbone on this album - Kenny Burrell/Quentin Warren on guitar and Grady Tate on drums and if add a big band with great arrangements - you have a best-seller album. For serious Smith collectors, this is an important release given the producer's effort making Smith a 60's "pop star" using big band and great B-3 organ interpretation format on dearly beloved Xmas tunes. The "Jingles Bells" are still lingering after Smiths boppish interpretation and Bing Crosby's trademark melody "White Christmas" swings like Mr. Berlin preferred it on Broadway. This is cool stuff, not a great JImmy Smith album, but watch out your mother-in-law's reaction on the upcoming Christmas dinner - it might be a memorable one! Great sounding and recorded B-3, so turned up the volume when you run around the Xmas tree.

Over the years, we have collected a repertoire of about 30 Christmas CD's which span across jazz, soul, and quirky. I have to say that Jimmy Smith's Christmas '64 might be my favorite. The renditions are fresh and SMOKIN'!!! Every song strikes a groove and is a great jam. If you want a CD to break the monotony of bland Christmas music, this is surely it. On the other hand, if you want a more traditional Christmas jazz CD, try Ella or even Oscar Peterson (which are also both very good).

This is the only Christmas album I will ever play. I grew up on this album, because my dad always played his vinyl copy at Christmans time, which he actually purchased in 1964. I'm glad to have a copy on CD now.

If you like Jimmy Smith, you will love this album! Listened to this at work, in the car and at home- great Jimmy Smith classic and now a staple in my Christmas music library!

I dislike Christmas music, but I'm in love with Jimmy Smith's 1964 Christmas album. The first song, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" takes all first time listeners by surprise as it starts sounding like yet another boring symphonic rendition of the Christmas standard. When the song breaks into joyous electric organ, it never fails to produce a smile across my face.

This album will never leave my Christmas rotation.

...but, I still remember playing this CD over the holidays. Re-issue from the original Jimmy Smith Xmas CD, this is some great jazz and orchestral music with Jimmy's Hammond B3 grooving you through the holidays. Sweet stuff.

I bought this album because of memories. My mother and father use to play exciting Christmas music which included Jimmy Smith's Christmas '64. My favorite piece is the big band sound of the Three Kings. It starts off classical and thunders into an all-out assault of organ delight.

It is difficult to give an "Ebert" type of review when all I can say is the cd is pure joy and if you want good Christmas music, this cd is for you.

I saw a snippet in Domino magazine about holiday parties that recommended this CD and I ordered it, stat. I LOVE it! When I was a kid I had yellow 78 rpm records and the one about the muffin man, I played so often that I wore it out. I don't know if it's possible to do that to a CD but this is still in my player, post-holidays. I know I'll play this for years. This could appeal to hipsters of all sorts and ages (I ought to know since the yellow 78 rpm reference will be lost on many of you ...). Try it. It really does rock.

Bought this album to add to our collection of Christmas albums and it has jumped to the #2 spot (after Oscar Peterson's.) Very well done and highly recommended. Be sure to sit still for the first track -- amazing!

This is the album you should play at your Xmas in July BBQ - Smith makes the B3 just ooze the cool. Makes Mrs. Claus blush... Seriously, if you want some soul in your holidays, this disc will stay in your player 'til after New Years day.